By Bob Holmes, Globe Staff

The next week has three events EMass basketball and hockey fans should check out. The competition is good. The cause is even better.

Saturday, St. John's Prep will host a memorial hockey game to honor Derek Hines, a four-year varsity hockey player who went on to graduate from West Point. After West Point he joined the 173rd Airborn Division and was deployed in Afghanistan. He was killed in action in 2005. The game between St. John's and BC High will benefit a fund set up in his name and will be held at the Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington at noon.

The 1st Lieutenant Derek Hines Soldiers Assistance fund intends to provide financial assistance for Massachusetts soldiers, and their families, who have incurred serious, career-ending, and life-altering injuries while on active duty. Hines from Newburyport, graduated from the United States Military Academy in 2003. He then went on to fight in Afghanistan where his unit came under attack by enemy forces. He was killed in action in 2005, and his family set up the 1st Lt. Derek Hines Soldiers Assistance Fund in his honor. To learn more about the foundation please visit www.derekhinesfund.org

Sunday, Central Catholic will host a Coaches vs. Cancer Day with four basketball games starting at 10:30 a.m. The start time for the games was moved up to avoid conflict with the Patriots game at 3. At 10:30 a.m., the Central Catholic freshmen girls will face Masconomet in the small gymnasium. Also at 10:30, the Central junior varsity girls will play Masconomet in the main gym. At noon, the Central varsity girls will play Masconomet followed at 1:30 by the Central Catholic boys playing St. John's Prep at 1:30.

Tuesday, the Lexington varsity basketball teams will host a Coaches vs. Cancer event to benefit Cancer Research at Children's Hospital in Boston. At 5:30 p.m., Lexington girls will play Wakefield, followed at 7 p.m. with the boys' matchup between the same schools. Coaching staffs from all four teams will wear sneakers with their traditional coaching attire to raise cancer awareness. All teams will wear pink warm-ups to show their support. Proceeds from tickets, concession stand, and t-shirt sales, and a 50-50 raffle will benefit Children's Hospital.